Nigeria mourns execution of female aid worker by terrorists

NIGERIANS from all spheres of the social spectrum have expressed disgust at the execution of Hauwa Leman, an aid worker with the International Committee for Red Cross (ICRC).

Leman was killed by terrorists who had given the government 24 hours prior notice to rescue her. The ICRC on Monday launched an appeal for the insurgents to spare her life along with that of two others.

But the terrorists – Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) instead executed her. Government confirmed the act stating that it had done everything within its powers to save her life.

The militants said in a video posted online last month that they would kill at least one hostage once a deadline due to elapse on Monday had passed.

The video had also referred to schoolgirl Leah Sharibu, 15, who was abducted in February from her school in the town of Dapchi. They said Leah was to remain a slave. She was the only girl who was held after government negotiated a release of schoolgirls kidnapped in Yobe State this year.

Three aid workers, Hauwa Mohammed Leman, Alice Loksha and Saifura Hussaini Ahmed Khorsa, were working in the town of Rann when they were kidnapped by ISWA. Khorsa, an ICRC midwife, was killed in September.

Leman worked in a hospital supported by the ICRC and Loksha as a nurse in a centre supported by UNICEF.

‘We are deeply pained by this killing, just like we were by the recent killing of the first aid worker. However, we will keep the negotiations open and continue to work to free the innocent women who remain in the custody of their abductors,’ Information Minister Lai Mohammed said in a statement.